On the 15th September, the evening of Ganesha Chaturthi, the inauguration of Quo Vadis, the new Interfaith Dialogue Center in Tiruvannamalai, was celebrated. In the below photograph the ladies are creating a brightly coloured rangoli to:
"Welcome to Quo Vadis Interfaith Dialogue Center on this most auspicious day, the inauguration of our Internet Cafe, Library and Business and Spoken English Courses . . . "
When visitors arrived at the gate of Quo Vadis they were greeted by a host that tied a coloured ribbon around their wrist and given a note which said:
"While reading this please notice the coloured thread, that by now you will be wearing, which was presented to you on your arrival at Quo Vadis. This thread is to identify your friend in faith. So, please now look around and select the person of your choice who is wearing a thread of a different colour to your own. This is the friend that has been selected for you by Providence to SHARE YOUR FAITH (or lack of faith) this day. So, we would ask you now to connect with your friend and discuss the following:"
"WHAT DO YOU BELIEVE?
Spend as much time with one another discussing this question of Faith and when you feel satisfied with your interaction then please both go upstairs to the rooftop where you will find a white board on which we invite you to write or draw whatever thoughts are uppermost in your mind regarding the interaction you have just experienced with your friend in faith."
Once the introductions, formalities and discussions about faith were over it was then time for speeches from the visiting dignitaries that included:
Rt. Rev. Dr. Gideon Devanesan, R.J., Bishop of Arcot Lutheran Church,
Mr. K. Pichandi,
the Rev. G. Raja Socrates, Vice President ALC,
Dr. T. Richard Baskaran, Secretary ALC,
Rev. R.D. Vijayakumar, Treasurer ALC,
Mr. P. Franklin Joseph, Education Board Chairman ALC,
Mr. Rev. J.Daniel Gnanasekaran, Property Officer ALC,
and (Guests of Honour from the U.S.) Mr. and Mrs. Douglas and Jane Koons.
During the evening the official opening of the Internet Centre and Library also took place.
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